Auxiliary visual indicator.



H. B.. ELLIUTT. AUXmAaY VISUAL mmcfmn.

W PLI'SATUN .FINN JAN, .'32, Adiv n WQISL Patented June 24, MNB* SHLETS-"SHEELT i,

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ii. R. ELLIOTT.

AUXLARY VISUAL INDICATOR,

Amzm''mv ,FILED JAN.1E"12,

Patented J une 24, 1913 lie (gm f?.

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HARLIE-R. EIQLIOTCIF, 0F CGLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY IVIESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 AUTO SPEED, SIG-NAL COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or CALIFORNIA.

AUXILIARY VISUAL INDICATOR. A

Specification of Letters Patent.

reeeiitedaune 24, 1913.

. Application filed January 22, 1912. Serial No. 672,781.

To all whom t may concern.' l

Be it known that I, HARLIE R. EnLioT'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Uolumbus, in the county oli' Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Auxiliary Visual Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to auxiliary visual indicators and is particularly applicable to a motor vehicle, being intended and Idesigned to give a visual signal distinctly characteristie for each range of speed of the vehicle, the ranges of speed to be denoted being the result of the requirement of city.v ordinances placing speed limit restrictions upon trallic Vin certain sections of such cities.

The invention contemplates the provision of an attachment for motor vehicles desirably constructed for driving by the flexible shaft of the speedometer and constructed and calculated to automatically display to a pedestrian or to some one Withinor without the vehicle, the rate of speed at which the vehicle is moving at any time. lt is particularly eflicacious in application to motor vehicles 'in that it may be made to serve as an indication to some person in authority within the districtthrough which the vehicle is passing of the approximate speed at which the vehicle is traveling and Whether or not such speed Ais excessive for the section of the district through which such vehicle is moving.

ln view of the increasing congestion of trallic in our cities, it has become and is becoming more and more necessary to prescribe de-linite maximum speed limits at which a vehicle may travel in any section of the city. In practically all cities, such maximum speed limits have been prescribed, but the. enforcement of them is renderedl exceedingly ditiicult for the reason that the driver of the vehicle inevitably fails to realize that he is traveling atan excessive speed. In addition to this, officers of the law placed upon cases ofv this nature andA empowered with duties of this character, are either cxtremely lax or overzealous. As a result constant bickerings and disputes arise between vehicle driver and the officer and these bickerings and disputes are carried into the trial courts.`

My purpose is to provide an automatically operative attachment to vehicles of this type which will be positive and definite in its action and Whichwill unfailingly indicate to the-driver and to the oliicer the exact maximum speed within which the vehicle is traveling.

Another essential feature of m invention or rather result thereof, is the e ect that it will undoubtedly have in decreasing the number of accidentsuch'as people being run over by a vehicle traveling at a high rate of Y speed. lt is a practical impossibility Vfor the pedestrian, about to pass in frontof a travcling motor vehicle, to accurately gage the speed of such vehicle. For this very reason a great number of people are run down in attempting to pass in front of Ia vehicle., whereas with my invention the visual indication is unfailing and practically all possibility of such mistakes is obviated.

The advantageous structuralfeatures 'of my invention are mainly comprised in the provision of such a constructionvas will permit of .a ready interposition between the flexible drive shaft of a speedometer and theV speedometer. This construction' is desirably such that my l: ittachment may Abe applied practically Without. disfigurement of the' normal structure ofthe machine, and the speedi ometer may still remain. operative or may be entirely omitted. In the adaptation of my invention in such a manner, one of the Aimportant features thereof is the compact andA accurately operative gear mechanism utilized.

The preferred embodiment of my invention is shown in the accompanying 'drawings` in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts and in u hieh,

Figure 1 is a side elevation partially broken away of my invention, Fig; 2 is a side elevation of an automobile showing -iny invention applied thereto, Fig. 3 is a section of my gear mechanism taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l, Fig. 4 is a section taken on line lest of Fig. l, Fig. 5 is a detail view'i'of a governor n'ieehanism desirably utilized in my invention, Fig. 6 is a section taken online GWG of Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a detail view of a movable bridging element movable under the control ot centrifugal members in the 'embodiment of my invention shown, and,

of driving. This shaft 2 desirably extends to the speedometer 3, but there is interposed therebetween the circuit closing structure comprised in the casing 4. The casing 4 may be of any suitable form and may be provided with means of attachment 5. It comprises an internal bearing socket 6 and is fitted with a detachable base 7 having a i lcomplemental bearing aperture 8, such aperture receivlng and' supporting a rotatable shaft 9. The shaft 9 is provided near its -upper or outer end with a rigidly secured gear wheel 10 and below such gear wheel carries a governor of centrifugal form embodying arms 11, weights 12, a rigid hinge thimble 13, a traveling hinge collar 14 and an interposed spring 15, Whose tension is adjustableby adjustment of the collar 16 upon the shaft 9. The collar 14 has an annular'shoulder 17 thereon and in superposed relatively adjustable relation below such shoulder are collars 18 and 19. The collar 19 may be adjusted within a small range and by such adjust-ment it becomes possible to more firmly and rigidly maintain the shaft 35 against wabbling and in a definite central posit-ion. j

Carried between the shoulder 17 and collar 18 is the bridging element shown in Fig. 7 and eomprisingan embracing collar bracket 20 carrying a radially extending arm member 21 insulated therefrom by an insulation 22 and secured thereto by a screw 23. The arm member 21 is provided upon one extremity with a roller 24 secured upon its end 'byva screw vbolt 25 and having its opposite end bifurcated for the reception of a pivoted roller carrying element 26. This element is pivoted at 27 and upon its oute'rmost extremity has a roller 28 rotatably secured upon its end by a screw bolt 29. It will be noted that both rollers 24 and 28 have reduced abutting elements of an integral nature as shown at 30 and 31 respectively. The inner extremity of the arm pivoted' element 26 is laterally offset and is normally forced laterally outward by a spring 32. This lateral forcing of the lateral portion outward serves to maintain the rollers 24 and 28 slightly out of alinement for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Carried by the base member 7 are spaced posts 33 and 34. The post 33 is surrounded at a point intermediate its ends by a metallic,eylindrical element 35, such contact element being preferably of brass and this element 35 is insulated from the post by sections 36, 37 and 38. The element 35 is;

carrying binding posts 41a, 42a and 43*l for the attachment of wires 41", 42b and 43". The Contact sections 41, 42 and 43 are insulated from the post by the c lindrical insulation 44 and are' insulated rom each other by mica disks 45.. They are further insulated from the post by sections 46 and 47.

In operation, it being understood that the governor shaft is driven by the flexible drive shaft in a manner to be hereinafter described, it will be apparent that the radial arm member 21 bridges the posts 33 and 34. As the speed of travel of the'vehiele increases, the weights 12 fly outward and draw the collar bracket member 20 up! wardly. The rst effect is the closing of the circuit from a battery 48 through the wire 40, binding posts 39, contact 35, bridge member 21, contact 43, binding post 43, Wire 43b and lamp 43. It is hardly necessary to trace the remaining circuits, but it will be understood that each contact segment is of a size to cover a certain range of speed and that the Contact of the bridge member with each segment, closes a circuit through one of the lamps41", 42 and 43, which are desirably mounted together upon the forward end of the vehicle hood as at 49. When the speed of the vehicle exceeds the maximum limit of the section 41, the lights fro out' entirely forthe reason that the brid 43a and breaks the circuit.

The upper or outer end of the easing 4 is desirably recessed in a suitable manner for the reception of a shaft 50 which'is vertically disposed and carries a gear wheel 51 meshing with the gear 10 on the shaft 9. This shaft 5,0 is .supported in position by the plate 52 desirably retained in place by screws 53.

54. Extending transversely through' the outer end of the casing 4 are registering bearings 55 and 56 and 'these bearings are intersected by -threaded bores 57 and 58.

These bearings are for the support of a.V

shaft clement which is constructed and adapted for ready connection with the end of the commonly used flexible shaft and which comprises a bolt 59 having a reducd` threaded extension (l0 and a head 61 with la diametrically extending formation 62. The formation of the reduced extension 60 produces a shoulder 63 against which there is adapted to abut a bevel gear 64 held in place ge member passes above such section The shaft 50 is further provided 'with a horizontally disposed beveled gear y and 'irhm reinforced by the u-mi dem# 66 abutting! (nero hay@ g o hood i?? with u, dim

formell lhorrilr This mi their impar am k i i i :l member simihly mounted upon Said Shaft y i mfkr forimiioi. :md for mi fried. smid sidaby o vimini! inging; by 5 (rourwaeum u; .fw epvmometer there may me mouued iimnibcr, whereby bodily movi-ment imwiipd am crumb; thrffmed rap 7?. i5 imparei 'io the bridging element, lungi Tin- ;wfm 23. a ihm-:Mad Qzihxrfrement miiimly of the contact. n fmber when Said zum! t i om ',ounwxiam may De pro shaft if rotisfi, ,Quid bridging dement being vmud r. h@- t'iexi'oe driving minime o? movement around said siiably 80 shaft hurvo muersood that the mommz-f membr und Comprising two parts vnd of Lv i A pumtny vmmeclod to move in a plane perfo army 3;; iziigrlfing (t'ivi' g rgfaiwm if; i gljlxdi/'Hizil i0 h@ a J'if the Contact )inemljm f; ww@ :im w 451', Thy, is; /ewiste im@ bora7 and resiicnt means bearing between Mom, -A with remion 'Lo the op uid paris mui lending; to produce relative 85 3mm@ L fu" ii i boit 232 it viii L@ readf movomeut between Said parts. ii; ummslioof iomiam of th@ ixv 3. ha a device of the charakter described, bis. drvr i imi" i motion o the. ihr. rombination with :L pair of spaced fixed ini-izmir ier one ifr. 1;- Contact momburs which lie in Substantial Smits motion if. img mrnlffisrn with" @ich oher, of a rotative. 9g gowrno: by mmm or tine in ahzft Ming bawomi wid Contant member ring 1h ined. and in piarnlie i wif said contact memn wood from 3in1 drow die" be :i .oridgiog Qemcnt exiending trans-l "r: prov' j :i smic?, r@ 5 ven y between Said Contact', members :m @Il imffu'lingiy :i MiSl'ing electrical wmmunication there 95 the mar/smi@ traveh herf\w -u a mumbur sioiably mounted upon :in iw Mi of Spool or whiefh, :anni zuaf ornkrifugaliy operaed eiemnts me r of fact miroirs at ail rimes nchmrffd. by Hiv roiation of said Shaft and lim uwroxvmne rare of Speed of be maanimador. io Said sifubly mounted member @im my hunting tint if if; not in rxrmss to impnrt movernont to said member longi 190 nf n "w'wiri .im maximum iiim 'fluimaiiv of said Shaft, salici bridging sie ed if. silripo and f-'icieri; 111cm 'being Carried by Suid slidaoy mounted, H mefn'iiaer whereby bodily movement io im i ahmnoer doizribed? portail o iir; bridging' glement longitndr You wh :i pair of spacfffd Bion wily of me conmo member when smid haft m5 member.. on? of romedk, id bridging dement boing aiya wiivx 1,-: zwom rrougmut is iongfh bie of rontive movermznt aromi( said ,siufv :mi me mi lr of which is?. sub-dbr aby mountvd Imi'niwr und fon'ipriSing wo "ncilv uw .1 pim (y of vos: ypivouiyvounevfmiermimi portmnoucuf i, fi'irifnguii-jv' vmzii w3' (ronzmis .ti! (me o mi l11H1 im `mpjitmirmiy f .y other of wir :1%. :l ofifl ing Meinem @wird Y,j, mid coms-wi mombrs, boii axiflzgdiiy (q "ifd mambo? rmi porion@ l .g upon the n.1mwrvy w? n ,rvmioxi io dus mxgmiumi axes of wifi inmnicrs and cagwishirlg eleoirirai r Ww? HHUNW 31M l Filling, Dfiflll b9 '115 iwoen miei wromily Connected terminal portions and tending to cause remt-ive move-- mont botrweer. thelm.

4. AS mi artichx of manufacture, a bridgg ing element comprising :L pair of terminal 5 portions, means for pirotully connoctin uid tormin portions, :i yoke from whic l :mid terminal portions are supported, means for insulating said yoke from Said terminal portions5 :ind spring nlczmS bearing btwecn mid ffrmina porions and hmiog to proshame rcaiw movoxxient belwcfii timo,

.\ :nn zeririv o mmwfanm'e :L yoke, f1 fwmrzir im fm,`i for iufsoiiug mani 'mi saisi groe? :wid midgw ing element comprisingl a pair of pivotztlly In testimony whereof I ax my signature connected terminal portions, a curved finger 1n presence of two wltnesses. carried by one of sa1d portions and extending into substantial parallelism With the HARLIE R' ELLIOTT other of said portions and in spaced relation W'itnesses: thereto, and a spring bearin between said WALTER E. L. Bock,

finger and said other termina portion. A. L. PHELPS. 

